'A new light in the European galaxy' - Peter Levi, Independent. 'The Same River' is considered poet and essayist Jaan Kaplinski's most significant work of prose to date and is one of the most widely read Estonian novels of recent years. This work of fiction, thirteen years in the making, has many autobiographical undertones. It describes a young man's life, dominated by oriental studies, poetry and love, in Tartu in the 1960's and, for the first time, gives English language readers insight into the formidable talent of this courageous writer who has produced many acclaimed works of fiction, poetry, philosophy and cultural studies in the midst of challenging and dramatically changing political and social times.